The Provincial Government is calling for private developers and non profit organisations to come forward with proposals to build new housing in Crescent Valley. Social Development Minister Kelly Lamrock says he's looking for diversity with the initial request for a minimum of 60 units for seniors, 30 of which would be suubsidised and a minimum of 56 for families, 28 of which would be subsidised.Lamrock says the province has been talking to developers and he maintains there is interest in getting involved but the transformation of the neighbourhood into a community will take a number of years.

Saint John Portland M-L-A Trevor Holder is refuting the charge that Provincial Conservative Leader David Alward wants to move healthcare jobs out of the city. The accusation was made by Provincial Energy Minister Jack Keir after Alward told reporters in Dalhousie the Liberals gave 150 jobs at Facilicorp to Saint John when the northern part of the province needs more employment. Holder tells CHSJ News the Conservatives don't want to take jobs out of Saint John and he would never support that.Holder is accusing Keir of trying to deflect criticism of him over the failed NB Power deal by turning the tables. Alward will be making what is termed a major campaign announcement concerning health care tomorrow in Fredericton.

The federal government has opened another window of opportunity to apply for a 20-thousand dollar one time compensation payment -- and -- Carol Brown Parker of the Agent Orange Association tells CHSJ News there is an additional piece of information required -- a note explaining why you didn't apply the first time the compensation was offered.
She says she thinks those who didn't apply originally probably hadn't heard about the compensation program.
Parker says there is a short time frame to apply -- the application must be in no later than September 17th -- you can get more information here.

A giant hole at Forest Hills School will soon be a new playing field for students. The provincial and federal governments are putting almost $600,000 into the project which will allow for a new parking lot and field to be ready for the fall. Roly MacIntyre, MLA for Saint John East, says the kids are really excited for their new field.

MacIntyre says the old field was closed nearly nine years ago when the timbers supporting the field collapsed.

This doesn't happen all that often. Rothesay Regional Police telling CHSJ News they pulled a van over along the highway by the scales which isn't that unusual and then, without any warning, the 61 year old driver died instantly behind the wheel. Police are calling it a sudden death.

Also, City Police say the problem of drunnk driving continues unabated as they report three more drunk drivers were nabbed over a span of a couple of hours, two in the uptown and the other on Loch Lomand Road.

Drivers in Saint John are paying more for gas after the weekly setting. Self Serve regular has risen by more than 3 cents a litre to 99.6 cents and diesel is more than 2 cents a litre higher at $1.02.5. Propane is listed at $1.01.9 a litre.

Another politicial storm is brewing...this time over Health Care jobs awarded to the Port City through Facilicorp which is the shared health services agency.The Conservative Leader said in Dalhousie that the Liberals gave those jobs to Saint John over cities in the province's north. Provincial Energy Minister Jack Keir accuses David Alward of begrudging 150 Saint Johners their jobs.Keir wonders if Alward would say that in Saint John and thinks the Conserverative leader shouldn't be pitting the north and south of the province against each other over jobs.

80 people are participating in an 8-hour exercise today in preparation for an oil spill should it ever happen in Saint John.The 15th annual exercise is timely given the effort to clean up the mess after an oil rig exploded in April causing a BP well to leak oil on the Gulf Coast.The Atlantic Emergency Response Team or ALERT is conducting its exercise from Courtenay Bay to Lepreau. The spill exercise is one of many proactive measures ALERT organizes all year that are regulated by Transport Canada and in partnership with the Coast Guard.No actual product or materials will be placed in the water during any of the activities. In Courtenay Bay, several hundred feet of orange boom will be deployed and then recovered from the water, to simulate this emergency measure in the event of a 10,000 ton oil spill from a ship.

It's being called a major announcement from the Department of Social Development. A public housing announcement will be made today and it will impact Crescent Valley. Social Development Minister Kelly Lamrock and Mayor Ivan Court will be on hand for the annoucement this afternoon at the Somerset Community Centre. The provincial government has made a commitment to revitalise that neighbourhood with the goal being upgraded housing and one thousand new homes. Deputh City Manager Andrew Beckett says the neighbourhood has huge potential but it will take from 20 to 25 years for it to be fully transformed.